Arkady Babchenko: "Mythical Pride"

The Levada -Center recently conducted a survey than the Russians are proud of. The results, in general, predictable. In the first place - victory in the Second World War. In the second - the return of Crimea to the Russian Federation, in the third - the flight of Gagarin into space. This is all clear. But there are two points that I would really like to note, ”the journalist writes in the Live Journal .

"Firstly, in fact, the Russians are not proud of anything. Russia is the country - the bearer of the absolutely Soviet mentality: to close their eyes and pass by. Always see that you have not seen anything. To yell at the rallies what the party tells you, and after the rally to cover it with men in garages behind vodka. Therefore, the Russians are actually proud of what they will be proud of what they will say what they say that they will be proud of what they say that they will be proud of what they say zombie.

He will tell the victory in the Second World War - they will be a victory in the Second World War. They will say Crimea - they will be Crimea. They will tell Trump - they will be Trump. And they will tell Obama - they will be Obama. Exactly, by the way, it was. Eight years ago, Obama’s victory caused a flurry of national pride in Russia, because for some reason the Russians thought that Barack Obama was their achievement eight years ago. Reloading is all.

This pride, however, disappeared as quickly as the pride from Trump’s victory, which - well, how else! - Also our achievement, but here this is not remembered because the memory here is exactly the same as pride - like a goldfish, three days.

And then you can be proud of everyone in a new way, a circle after a circle. Recursion.

But the most important thing is a country that is not able to sympathize, is not able to be proud of. Pride is always inextricably linked with shame. And if you are not able to feel shame, you cannot be able to feel and pride.

A country in which every winter after year after a year, messages appeared stably once a week, as a disabled bomb was dropped out of the bus, because he did not have enough thirteen rubles for a ticket-and this even causes discussions among the intelligentsia about whether the conductor is to blame or not, but my God! - Such a country is not able to be proud of in principle.

This is called "moral idiocy" or - the term that I like more - "moral castration". The violent moral castration carried out over entire peoples in the era of large terror, when everything that rose above the cries of "shoot like mad dogs" and crowned with complete success was cut.

Since then, Russia is a zinic country that does not care about shame and pride. Here they are not ashamed to abandon their husbands, agreeing to bury them in nameless graves for numbers for money - what pride are you talking about, what are you talking about?

So there is especially nothing to spread by the thought of the tree. So, just note the fact that has taken place.

But the second aspect, in my opinion, is somewhat more interesting. In addition to the first three points, the Russians are proud of the following:

The transformation of the country in Soviet times into one of the leading industrial powers in the world. Achievements of Russian science. The glory of Russian weapons. The fight against the Tatar-Mongol yoke, the protection of Europe from the invasion from the East. The spirit of the Russian freemen, freedom of love.

Together with the victory in the Second World War, the return of Crimea and access to space, these are all very interesting points. The fact is that all these listed points are myths. Full, absolute myths. None of the above did not take place in reality as it seems to the respondents.

Let's go briefly for each ... "

"Recently, for some reason, I am more and more often stumbled upon the idea that the national myth is not so bad. And if there was no legend about this or Toy, it may have been created. They say that national myths unite the nation. This is not so. The myth is always dangerous."

“Only those countries that live in reality become really great. They know everything about themselves, all their bright and all dark moments of history, comprehend them and take measures to lack them in the future. Great Germany became great only after it was forced to return to reality for twenty years.

This will happen with Russia too. Undoubtedly. Everyone has always been cured from bastard and increased spirituality. And this country will be cured too. Also, be sure to return to reality. And they will make him study their real story. Only here the treatment will be painful.

In the meantime - drunken mythical pride of excess chromosome. "